City Islanders get late finish from Sainey Touray, draw 2-2 with Navy

Getting a late score from Sainey Touray -- in the 90th minute -- the USL PRO Harrisburg City Islanders salvaged a 2-2 draw with Navy in a preseason exhibition game Sunday afternoon at Cumberland Valley's Eagle View Middle School.

Sainey Touray, shown celebrating a goal during the 2011 USL PRO playoffs, pocketed a late finish as the Harrisburg City Islanders salvaged a 2-2 draw with Navy.Sean Simmers, PennLive.com

Touray's finish occurred right after Navy goalkeeper Gavin Snyder dropped a service from the right flank. An instant later, Touray claimed the loose ball and scored.

Trialist Babayelle Sodade -- with help from giant midfielder Zack Bowman -- pocketed a goal in the 14th minute for the City Islanders (0-1-2).

Geoff Fries and Patrick Sopko bagged finishes in the 66th and 70th minute for Navy.

The Midshipmen, who were playing the first of their five spring contests, are coached by former Messiah skipper Dave Brandt. Brandt, who piloted Messiah to six NCAA Division III national championships, will enter his fifth season at Navy in the fall.

In addition to Sodade and Bowman, trialists Stephen Broussard, Marco Mangione, Tyler Witmer, Sean Peckham, Damani Richards, Kevin Garcia, Sola Abolaji and Reed Matte played the first half for the City Islanders. When Richards departed with an injury, holdover Colin Zizzi came on at flank midfield and Mangione moved to left back.

Brian Sylvestre worked the first half in goal, making several saves.

While the City Islanders utilized more trialists in the second half -- Andrew Ribeiro, Cody Andrews, Jamaiel Hardware, Nurdin Hrustic -- holdovers Zizzi, Touray, Tom Brandt, Tom Mellor, Yann Ekra and Andrew Welker received playing time from head coach Bill Becher.

Charlie Sales was Harrisburg's second-half keeper.

"It's good to see guys," said Becher, who was planning to sever ties with some trialists and offer contracts to several others. "This gives us a chance to see a lot of guys, evaluate guys and we also got five of our guys in there, gave them their first run."

With trialists getting a lot of the early work, a lack of chemistry is one of the City Islanders' weaknesses. Since there's still time until the season opener on April 13 at Pittsburgh -- and many of the veterans are on hand -- that's not a huge concern. Not yet.

"We have a ways to go and we know that. That's what these games are for."

NOTES -- The City Islanders will continue their six-game preseason schedule on Saturday at Maryland-Baltimore County. ... Harrisburg expects to receive official word Monday morning from Major League Soccer affiliate Philadelphia as to which Union players will be loaned to the City Islanders. ... Becher did not disclose who he was going to offer contracts to. ... Defender Stephen Basso did not play. Neither did midfielders Morgan Langley and Jason Pelletier, both of whom continue to recover following sports hernia surgery. ... More trialists are expected to report to training camp beginning Monday morning.

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